Illuminated speedometer



Sept. 2, 1924. 1,506,976

J. H. COPE ILLUMINATED SPEEDOMETER Filed Jan. l5 1924 Patented Slept. 2, 1924.

l UNITED sTTEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. COPE, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE F.

- KERN, OF WINDSOR, COLORADO..

ILLUMNATED SPEEDOMETER.

Application led January 15, 1924. Serial No. 688,451.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. Corn, citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, the city and county of Denver, and

State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Speedometers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference eing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to speed indicating devices and has reference specifically to improvements in the manner of illuminating the dial so that the readings can be .more

'20 readily made after dark.

The ordinary speedometer employed in connection with automobiles depends for its illumination on the lamp placed on the instrument board. This is not entirely satisfactory for the reason that it requires quite accurate focusing of the eyes to enable the observer to correctly observe the indications.

4It is the object of this invention to produce a speed indicating device -which shall be so constructed and which shall be illuminated in such a manner that an observer can readily determine with suflicient accuracy the value of the indication without the necessity of the eyes becoming sharply focused. It is well known that in drivlng an automobile at high or even at moderate speed, the driver cannot take his eyes from the road for more than an instant without incurring risks. Vhere the usual arrangement of speedometer illumination is employed, it is almost impossible to determine the correct reading at night, due mostly to the fact that the eyes have not suliicient time to change their focus.

My invention briefly described consists in substituting for the yusual pointer a light aluminum disk with upstanding flanges. ThisV disk rotates through a given angle for any given increase in spee and has attached to the outside a short pointer which moves over a circular scale. A short section of the flange is cut away near the pointer. A convex cover lies over the rotatable disk and has its edge extending downwardly over the flange of the disk. An lncandescent lamp is secured to the convex cover and it is so located that light from 1t w1ll pass out through the gap in the flange and illuminate a short section of the scale which then becomes clearly visible, and by the position of which the speed can be quite accurately determined even when the divisions on the scale are not clearly dlstmguished. An upstanding annular, inwardly concave ring surrounds thescale and prevents the light from becoming projected eyond the outer circumference of the scale.

I n order better and more clearly to describe my invention, I shall have reference to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred embodiment of my invention is shown and in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view showing the appearance of the face of my improved speedometer when illuminated, and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

The same reference numbers will be used to designate the same parts throughout the several views.

Numeral l desi nates the instrument board of an automo ile which is perforated for the reception of the speedometer casing, 2. ithin this casing is a speed responsive mechanism of any desired ty e but which for the purpose of illustration has been shown as, consisting of a disk, 3, to which are secured U-sha ed permanent electronagnet's, 4. The isk, 3, has a'spindle, 5,

"vhnl'v is connected by means of a flexible shaft (not shown) to one of the front wheels in the usual manner. A spindle, 6, is mounted with its axis coinciding with the axis of the spindle 5 and carries an aluminum cup, 7, whose side projects between the legs of the magnets, 4, but does not touch the'same` The spindle 6 has a bearing in the top cover, member 8, and is acted upon by a spring, 9, which tends to move the pointer to zero against the force due to the Eddy currents in the side of the cup, 7

all in the manner old and well understood.

My invention is as well adapted to be employed in connection with a centrifugal operating mechanism as wlth the one shown, and will now be described.

Instead of having an ordinary hand or pointer secured to the outer end of the spindle, 6, I secure thereto a dat disk Whose edges, 11, are bent at right angles thereto. A pointer 12, is secured to the disk, 10, and

.cooperates with the annular scale, 13, for

verted saucer-shaped member, 15, is secured.-

to the reflector, 14, by means of supporting arms, 16. rlhe edge of member 15 extends down below the upper edge of flange 11 in the manner shown in Fig. 3. vA gap, 17, is provided in the flange, 11, at a point near the fpointer, 12, for a purpose that will hereina ter appear. Centrally of member 15, l place a socket, 18. An incandescent lamp, 19, is secured in the Socket and is connected to the lighting circuit of the automobile by means of wires and switches which have not been shown.

When the lamp, 19, is lit, light will emerge through the gap, 17, and illuminate a segment of the scale somewhat as shown in Fig. 1. The light rays will 'be prevented from passing beyond the scale by action of the reflector, 14. As the disk, 10, is ro- -tated by means of the spindle through an angle which is proportional vto the speed at which the car is traveling, the pointer and the gap will occupy a position with relation to the scale w-hich indicates the speed. At night when the lamp, 19, is lit, the luminous segment of the scale will be clearly visible and its position on the scale can be observed at a glance. The driver, due to his familiarity with the scale, is enabled to estimate the speed within narrow limits by merely glancing on the scale and observing the relative position of Ithe illuminated portion thereof.

A speedometer constructed as a'bove described is also well adapted to be attached to the rear of a car for the purpose of making the speed visible Ito the trailic police and others.

I am aware that speedometers have heretofore been provided with lamps located within the structure and adapted to illuminate the dials1but as far as I am aware no one has heretofore rovded a speedometer with means that iiluminates a segment of the dial only so that the point of illumination serves as a pointer.

rEhe gap, 17, can be made of any angular extent up to 180 degrees, if desired, without departing from the spirit of the inven- A tion. A

Having now described my what l claim is:

1. A speed-indicating device comprising, in combination, a stationary annular scale, a dishlike member mounted so as Kto rotate about an axis concentric With said scale, said member having its outer edge 'bent upinvention,

wardly so as to form a flange, said flange being provided with an opening, a cover over said dishlike member, a lamp located in the chamber formed by the dishlike mem- -rber and the cover, and speed-responsive means for rotating said member whereby a beam of light will pass through the opening and illuminate a portion .of the scale.

2. A Speed-indicating device comp-rising, in combination, a stationa annular scale,

a dshlike member mounte so as to rotate a'bout an axis concentric with said scale, said member having its outer edge bent upwardly so as to form a flange, said flange .being provided with an opening, a cover over said dishlike member, a lamp located in the chamber formed =by the dishlike member and the cover, speed-responsive means for rotating'said member whereby a beam of light will lpass through the opening and illuminate a portion of the scale, and a circular reflector surrounding said scale, said reflector being adapted tov intercept the wardly from the outer edge thereof, said ange v:having an opening,.a cover for said diskl and a lamp located in the space between the disk and the cover.

In testimony whereof I aix mysignature.

JOSEPH H. COPE. 

